Hopper for pulverizing-machines



UNITED STATES PATENT Fries.

STEPHEN P. M. TASKER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

'HOPPER FOR PULVERlZlNG-MACHlNES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 274,051, dated March 13, 1883.

' Application filedNovember 22,1882. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern Beit known that I, STEPHEN P. M. TASKER, of the city and county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Hoppers for Pulverizing- Machines, of which the following is a specification. 7

My invention is applicable for general use, as a hopper, with any class of devices to which hoppers, as such, are applied. It is, however, especially designed for employment in connection with a certain novel pulverizing-machine invented by William Henry Thompson, of Islington, county of Middlesex, Kingdom of Great Britain, and patented to him in and by Letters Patent of the United States No. 249,489, dated November 15, 1881.

My invention also relates to and is an improvement upon a certain hopper invented by Hermann Bernhard Feldmann, of Philadelphia, application for patent for which was filed in the United States Patent Office November 6, 1882. l

The object of my invention is to construct an automatic hopper, substantially of the characterinvented by Feldmann, which is provided with adjustable feeding appliances of a mechanically different construction from those employed by Feldmann, but which are yet,

equally with his, adapted to feed a quantity of material predetermined according to the set of said appliances.

A preferred form of a convenient embodiment of my invention is hereinafter described and claimed.

.In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a central vertical front sectional elevation of ahopperconveniently embodying my improvements, and set in place upon the feeding-chute of a pulveriz'ing-machi'ne. Fig. 2 is a central vertical side sectional elevation taken on a plane projected on the line a a, of Fig. 3. Fig; 3 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of the pocket-cylinder as constructed by me. 1

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

It is proper to premise that my hopper, so

' far as the casingand compartments therein go,

is of precisely the same construction as that of Feldmanns, and that myimprovements reside in an improved construction of thepocketcylinder, whereby the adjustment of the area of the pocket is readily controlled. For abetter understanding of my improvements it is necessary to redescribe such features of the device as are of Feldmanns invention. 0onfining myself now to such features A is the casing of thehopper, it being any suitably-shaped inclosing-case, divided into a receiving-chamber, B, and a discharging-chamber, O, which latter is supposed in communication with the apparatus to be fed. This division is conveniently efi'ected by means of a vertical diaphragm, D,and a horizontal diaphra gm, E, which connect-as shown. The ver' tical diaphragm is horizontally divided to form a horizontal slot of the breadth of the casin g, and the slot is provided with two semi-cylindrio shells, F, which are set sufficiently apart to form between them a vertical slot or opening, G, through which the material fed into the receiving-chamber passes, by means of the revolving pocket, to the discharging-chamber, as hereinafter explained.

H is a driving-shaft,- horizontally journaled in the casing by means of a tubular gland, J,

the extent of half the breadth of the latter the construct-ion of whichthis invention re- 1 sides, is in Fig. 4 shown detached from its shaft and removed from the machine, and consists, essentially, of a metal cylinder, to which the letter K has been applied, and which is axially provided with a hollow bushing or sleeve, to, conformed to and adapted to slide over that extremity of the shaft which is squared, as indicated by the letter h, so that when slid over it said pocket-cylinder revolves as a connected whole with said shaft. Throughout approximately three-quarters of its length the pocket-cylinder is longitudinally channeled or recessed down to the central bushing,as well indicated in the drawings. This channel islongitudinal'ly bounded by tongned sides t, and a slide, 11, is fitted Within said recess by grooves 0 along its sides, conforming to the tongues in the channel. This slide is adapted to completely fill the recess in the pocket-cylinder, and is externally conformed to the periphery of said cylinder, so that when in place therein it completes that portion of the cylindric contour of said cylinder which is destroyed when the channel is formed.

dis an annular web formed within the pocketcylinder, against which the channel terminates at its inner end. The pocket K is formed within the recess between the web referred to and the inner extremity of the slide, and is of course graduated in extent by the movement of the slidein or out. Thus, for instance, when the slide is completelyin the recess, there is no pocket, and as the slide is withdrawn a pocket is formed, the area of which isproportionate to the extent of such withdrawal. The pocket constitutes a scoop or take-up.

The shaft H is cylindric throughout that portion of its length, h, which finds a bearing in the tubular gland J, and beyond that portion the extremity of said shaft h, as stated, is square or of other angular sectional outline, and is fitted within the bushing or sleeve of the pocket-cylinder, which bushing is, as stated, conformed to the external conformation of the squared extremity of the shaft, so as to be free to slide lengthwise upon said shaft, but to be compelled to rotate in fixed connection therewith. The outer extremity of the pocket-cylinder, or that extremity the exterior contour of which is completed by the slide, isjournaled in the hearing I, applied to the side of the hopper. The inner extremity of the pocket-cylinder is made hollow, as at e, as well indicated by Figs. 1 and 4;, and is fitted to surround the tubular gland.

- By reference to the drawings it will be observed that the pocket-oylinder is of sufficient diameter to fill to the extent of half its breadth the semi-cylindric shells of the vertical diaphragm. hen the driving-shaft and pocketcylinder in their combined relationship are introduced into the hopper, they are journaled in such relation to the case and semi-cylindric shells formed in the vertical diaphragm thereof that the common axis of the shaft and of the pocket-cylinder coincides with the axis of the semi-cylindric shells and lies in the plane of the vertical diaphragm, all as well represented in the drawings. YVhen introduced in this position, and when motion of rotation has by any suitable means been applied to the driving-shaft, the latter and the pocket-cylinder rotate together as a connected whole.

In Feldmanns invention adjustment as to area of the pocket is made by moving the pocket-cylinder itself lengthwise with respect.

to the shaft, or from side to side with respect to the casing. I control the area of the pocket by the movement of the slide only without moving the pocket-cylinder, thereby securing such advantages as are incident to stability of parts and to a pocket which is per se of variable area,as opposed to a pocket which is of invariable area, and which is moved with respect to an opening of a fixed size. The movement of my slide in no wise affects the revoluis caused to rotate, with the result that the material fed is taken up or caught by the pocket, and in such quantity as the latter is set to contain is in the revolution thereof carried through the vertical opening between the shells into the discharging-chamber and therein discharged in the same manner as in Feldmanns device.

If the slide be moved to the right hand of the drawings, so that its end coincided with the inner extremity of the right-hand shell, (reference being made to Fig. 1,) the discharging or feeding capacity of the hopper would obviously be twice that represented in the drawings. 1

When it is desired to feed a predetermined quantity less than that contained by a pocket of the full breadth of the opening, the slide is moved to the left hand, or inwardly, so as to form a pocket of the exact capacity desired. This lateral adjustment of the slide is conveniently accomplished by means of an ad-.

justing-screw,f, affixed to and projecting from the squared extremity of the shaft, the said screw passing through a downwardly-projecting flange, g, formed on the outer extremity of the slide, and the adjustment being effected by means of nuts j, threaded upon the screw on both sides of the flange, as shown in Fig. 1. By the manipulation of the nuts the slide can be moved either in or out and set in any position. I

T is a spring-controlled door, designed to open automatically should the'pocket take up a substance larger than it can discharge without such opening, it being a device invented by Feldmann, and described in his application for patent.

Having now described the construction of a form of parts conveniently embodying my invention, I desire to state that many minor mechanical changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the principles of construction had in view. Thus, for instance, the pocket-cylinder may be feathered upon the shaft instead of being conformed to a shaft the extremity of which is not of circular outline.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- In a hopper, the combination of an inclosingcasing, a vertical diaphragm provided with a horizontal opening and with two semicylindric shells so disposed as to leave an open space between them, a horizontal diaphragm, a pocket-cylinder provided with a longitudinal channel or recess in which is fitted a slide adapted to completely fill the recess, and ex- IIO IIS

p which it is revolved, and means for moving the slide of said cylinder sidewise with respect to the opening between the semi cylindric shells, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

a In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name this 20th day of November, A. D. 10 1882. V

STEPHEN P. M. TASKER.

In presence of- J. BONSALL TAYLOR, JOHN J oLLEY, Jr. 

